Rope guide



May 19, `1925.

F. EL HOWARD ROPE GUIDE Filed Feb' 14 1925 .W anota,

- cable in section. A

taken vertically through the cross head andV Patented May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. HOWARD, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO READING CHAIN AND BLOCK CORPORATION, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF ROPE GUIDE.

Application filed February To all whom lif may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope` Guides, of which the following is a specification.

"his invention relates to improvements in rope guides and it is intended more particularly for use in connection with the rope or cable used in hoists, or other instances where a cable or rope is wound on a rotating drum.

The invention consists of a frame having a slot in which moves a crossliead, which cross-head is provided with rollers or rotatable bearing members, between which the cable or rope passes, andwhich acts as a guide for the rope at all times, being sli dable on the frame.

The invention is more fully described in the accompanying specification and clearly ilustrated in the drawing torn'iing a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a winding drum with my invention applied to the hoisting cable. Figure 2 is a plan view or the cross-head and frame, showing the Figure 3 is a sectional View trame, showing the rollers.

The numeral 1 designates a winding drum and 2 a cable adapted to encircle it. The numeral 3 designates a frame formed with a slot 4f through which the winding cable passes.

The numeral 5 designates a cross-head, mounted on theslotted frame, and adapted to slide freely there-on. This cross-head is provided with a set ot' rollers comprising l`our members G, two of which are located on the upper portion and two on the lower 14, 1925. Serial No. 9,101.

portion, and the members of each pair are separated sufficiently to permit the cable to pass vertically between them.

This cross-head is so located that cable passes through the centre thereof and also through the slot in the frame, and as the cable is wound upon the drum, the crosshead will be moved along on the slotted frame and always keep the cable in vertical alinement and prevent its doubling or Jfolding over upon itself as it is wound. This alinement is kept at all times, even though the tension upon the end of the cable is at an angle, as indicated in Figure 1, because the cross-head, when the pull is other than vertical, will bite into the surface of the slotted frame, and will not move freely, as it does when the pull is vertical.

This tendency of the cross-head to keep the cable between it and the winding drum in perfect alinement, will insure the proper -winding of the cable at all times, because,

no matter at what angle the rope bears, as it approaches the cross-head, it will be held in proper winding position by the crosshead.

lVhat I claim is In a rope guide for hoists, a traine having an elongated slot therein, a cross-head slidably mounted upon said ra1ne two pairs ot rollers carried by the cross-head between which the rope passes, and a winding drum upon which the rope is wound, said crosshead being capable of longitudinal movement on the frame through the action of the cable passing through it and being tiltable thereon, whereby a binding action is efected between the cross-head and the frame when the rope leads olf at an oblique angle.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

FRANK H. HOWARD. 

